Self-aligning well pump base



June 12, 1951 F. H. zElTz SELF-ALIGNING'WELL PUMP BASE Fil'ed Feb. 15, 1949 4 97 2/ 2 w f, 6%. k Il ,i M n l.. :4., l 2 Y /w/ .f i u VHrhLTH m m .n 4/ 2 a 7 Uw Z Patented June 12, 1951 UNITED. STATES OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to deep well turbine pump bases, and more particularly to a well pump base which supports the pump in a substantially vertical, upright position regardless of uneven settling of the base-supporting platform.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved supporting base for a well pump, which base is mountable on a base-supporting platform or foundation of concrete or other suitable material, and will support the pump in a substantially vertical, upright position regardless of tilting of the platform due to uneven settling or improper construction of the platform, to avoid bending of the well pipe and pump shaft by inclination of the pump head relative to the bore of the well, which base can be applied to a conventional well pump without modification of the pump head, and will effectively support the pump on the platform or foundation, does not interfere' in any way with the pipe connections of the pump or the normal operation of the pump, is easy to install on `various types of conventional pumps, and is simple and durable in construction, and economical` to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a pump head and platform with a portion of the well diagrammatically shown in cross-section below the platform, showing the application thereto of a pumpsupporting base illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-section through the pump-supporting base illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the lower member of the base;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the upper member of the base;

Figure 5 is an elevation of an anti-friction bearing roller, several of which are interposed between the upper and lower members of the pump-supporting base.

With continued reference to the drawing, the well is provided with a casing l2 which extends longitudinally of the well bore and somewhat above the surface of the ground at the upper end of the bore. A platform or foundation Il, illustrated as formed of concrete, but which may be formed of other suitable materials, such as wood or masonry, if desired, rests upon the ground and surrounds the upper end of the well casing l2. The pump head, generally indicated (ICI. 10S-219) at I5, is of conventional construction and is supported by the platform l l.r A column pipe In extends downward from the pump head to the pump bowls, not illustrated, disposed in the 10W- er portion of the well below the water level in-the latter, and a pump shaft E3 extends downwardly from the pump head l5 to the pump bowls. The water discharged .from the pump flows upwardly through column pipe IB attached at its upper end to the lower portion of the pump head, which head is provided with an outlet tting I 6 to which is connected one end of the water supply pipe leading from the pump to a suitable reservoir or other facility for receiving the water discharged by the pump.

According to the present practice, the platform or foundation Il is constructed with its upper surface as nearly level as can be provided within practical limitations, the bore of the well being assumed to be perpendicular, and the bottom end of the pump is secured directly to the platform Il, usually by seating the bottom end of the pump head in a irecess provided in the platform around the upper end of the well casing, and then grouting or cementing the head to the platform. Frequently reinforcing structures are provided in the platform to which the bottom of the pump head is securely attached.

Even though the platform Il is initially constructed with its upper surface substantially level, it frequently happens that because of soft ground at the upper end of the well, frequent wetting of the ground, the action of deep frost or other causes, the platform settles unevenly and becomes tilted to somewhat the condition illustrated in Figure 1. When the platform or foundation is tilted, the pump head will be correspondingly tilted or inclined and will no longer be in alignment with the column pipe and the pump shaft.

The improved pump-supporting base of the present invention enables the pump to remain in an upright position, even though the upper surface of the pump-supporting platform or foundation becomes inclined due to uneven settling of the platform. This base comprises a lower annular member Il rigidly mounted in the platform Il, preferably by being seated in a recess in the upper surface of the platform surrounding the upper end of the well casing and securely grouted or cemented into the platform. The annular member I 'l has a centrally disposed circular opening I8 of a size somewhat greater than the well casing, and is provided, surrounding the opening I8, with an upwardly and outwardlybeveled surface i9, such surface being preferably disposed at an angle of substantially 45 to the horizontal. An upper, annular member 2U has a circular, central opening 2l of substantially the same size as the opening IB in the lower member I1, and has a boss 22 surrounding the opening 2| and provided with a beveled outer surface 23 which has an angle of inclination to the horizontal substantially the same as the inclination of the beveled surface I9 of the lower annular member, so that the boss is receivable in the beveled portion of the lower annular member, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 2. The upper annular member 2D is made square or circular in plan form, or given such other shape as may be necessary, to conform to the shape of the bottom end of the pump head I5, and is provided with apertures 2li for clamp bolts 25 which eX- tend through the apertures 24 in the upper annular member of the base, and through registering apertures in the bottom flange 2%, of the pump head to rigidly secure the upper annular member 20 of the base to the bottom end of the pump head.

A plurality of angularly-spaced-apart bearing rollers 2'! are disposed between the beveled surfaces of the lower and upper annular members il and 2li, so that the upper annular member is freely tiltable relative to the lower annular member. Each of the rollers 2'! is longitudinally concave, as particularly illustrated in Figure 5, to fit the conical, outer surface of the boss 22 of the upper, annular member 2d, and has respective arbors 23 projecting outwardly from its opposite ends. The beveled surface i9 of the lower, annular member il is provided with recesses recciving respective rolle-rs 2, these recesses being reduced at the ends to provide bearings for the arbors B, so that the rollers are journaled in the lower member il and support the upper member 2B.

The bottom end of the pump head is rigidly attached to the upper end of the column pipe iii, so that the pump head is urged to its upright position by the weight of the column pipe. With the compensating base or' the present invention supporting the weight of the pump, the pump will be supported in upright position regardless of uneven settling or tilting of the platform il, and the pump shaft and column pipe will not be thrown out of alignment.

The invention may be embodied in other specinc forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as. illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-aligning well pump base comprising a rst annular member mountable on a pumpsupporting platform and having a circular opening larger than the well casing and an upwardly and outwardly beveled surface around said opening, a second annular member attachable to the bottom end of a pump head and having a circular opening of substantially the same size as the opening in said nrst annular member, a beveled boss on said second annular member surrounding the opening in the latter and receivable in the beveled opening of said rst annular member, and angularly-spaced-apart bearing rollers disposed between said boss and the beveled surface of said first annular member to render said annular members tiltable relative to each other, the beveled opening of said rst annular member being formed with respective recesses rotatably receiving the bearing rollers.

2. A self-aligning well pump base comprising a nrst annular member mountable on a pumpsupporting platform and having a circular opening larger than the well casing and an upwardly and outwardly beveled surface around said ope ing, a second annular member attachable to the bottom end oi a pum-p head and having a circular opening cf substantially the saine size as the opening in the rst annular member, a beveled boss on said second annular member surrounding the opening in the latter and receivable in the beveled opening of said irst annular member, and angularly-spaced-apart bearing rollers disposed between said boss and the beveled surface of said rst annular member to render said annular members tiltable relative to each other, each of said rollers having a longitudinally-concave intermediate portion iitting the conical outer surface of the boss of said upper annular member, the beveled surface of said rst annular member being formed with respective recesses rotatably receivingr the bearing rollers, said recesses being disposed along a circle concentric with the first annular member.

FREDERICK H. ZEETZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Layne Feb. 4, 1930 

